Basic Biochemistry - SMB1102

These flashcards cover key terminology and definitions from the Basic Biochemistry course, focusing on carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and vitamins.

Carbohydrates

Most abundant biomolecules on earth, defined as polyhydroxy aldehydes or ketones, or substances that yield such compounds on hydrolysis.

Monosaccharides

Simple sugars consisting of a single polyhydroxy aldehyde or ketone unit; e.g., glucose.

Oligosaccharides

Consist of short chains of monosaccharide units joined by glycosidic bonds, with disaccharides being the most abundant.

Polysaccharides

Sugar polymers containing more than 20 monosaccharide units, examples include starch and cellulose.

Glycosidic bond

The bond formed between monosaccharides in oligosaccharides and polysaccharides.

Dextrose

Another name for D-glucose, the most abundant monosaccharide.

Stereoisomerism

Compounds having the same structural formula but differ in spatial configuration.

Optical Activity

The ability of a substance to rotate plane polarized light, resulting in (+) and (-) forms of glucose.

Chirality

A property of molecules that have non-superimposable mirror images, where amino acids (except glycine) have tetrahedral Cα bonded to four different groups.

Zwitter ions

Molecules that can behave both as acids and bases, typical for amino acids at physiological pH.

Isoelectric point (pI)

The pH at which an amino acid has no net charge.

Essential amino acids

Amino acids that cannot be synthesized by the body and must be obtained from the diet.

Non-essential amino acids

Amino acids that can be synthesized by the body.

Proteinogenic amino acids

The amino acids that are included in the genetic code.

Peptide bond

The bond formed between the amino group of one amino acid and the carboxyl group of another.

Primary structure of proteins

The linear sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide chain.

Secondary structure of proteins

The local folding patterns of the polypeptide backbone, stabilized by hydrogen bonds.

Alpha helix

A common type of secondary structure in proteins formed by a coiled configuration.

Beta sheet

A common type of secondary structure in proteins formed by adjacent polypeptide strands connected by hydrogen bonds.

Tertiary structure of proteins

The three-dimensional arrangement of a polypeptide chain stabilized by various interactions.

Quaternary structure of proteins

The arrangement of multiple polypeptide chains into a single functional protein.

Lipids

Organic compounds formed mainly from alcohol and fatty acids combined via ester linkages.

Triglycerides

Esters formed from glycerol and three fatty acids, making up most dietary fats.

Phospholipids

Lipids that contain phosphate groups and are key components of cell membranes.

Steroids

Type of lipids derived from cholesterol, including hormones like testosterone and estrogen.

Vitamins

Essential nutrients required by the body, classified as fat-soluble or water-soluble.

Fat-soluble vitamins

Vitamins that can be stored in the body's fatty tissues, including vitamins A, D, E, and K.

Water-soluble vitamins

Vitamins that cannot be stored in the body, including vitamin C and the B-vitamins.

Nucleic acids

Biomolecules that store and transmit genetic information, including DNA and RNA.

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid, the molecule that carries hereditary information.

RNA

Ribonucleic acid, a molecule that plays a role in protein synthesis and other cellular processes.

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)

The primary energy currency of cells, involved in energy transfer.

Cyclic AMP (cAMP)

A second messenger involved in signal transduction within cells.

Nucleotide

The basic building block of nucleic acids, consisting of a sugar, phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.

Purines and Pyrimidines

Two types of nitrogenous bases in nucleic acids; purines include adenine and guanine, while pyrimidines include cytosine, thymine, and uracil.

Covalent bond

A chemical bond formed by the sharing of electron pairs between atoms.

Hydrophilic

A property of molecules that interact favorably with water.

Hydrophobic

A property of molecules that do not interact favorably with water.

Transcription

The process by which RNA is synthesized from a DNA template.

Translation

The process by which proteins are synthesized from messenger RNA.

Anticodon

A sequence of three nucleotides in transfer RNA that base pairs with the corresponding codon in mRNA.

Oligonucleotide

A short sequence of nucleotides, usually less than 50.

Polynucleotide

A longer sequence of nucleotides, forming nucleic acids.

Hemoglobin

The oxygen-carrying protein found in red blood cells.

Antibodies

Proteins produced by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects like bacteria and viruses.

Enzymes

Biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions in the body.

Glycolipids

Lipids that contain carbohydrate groups, found in neuronal tissue.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that transmit signals across a chemical synapse.